Florida health officials have reported that a staggering 80% of candies tested in a recent study showed elevated levels of arsenic.

In a revealing report by the Florida Department of Health, it’s been discovered that many well-known candy brands are selling products with high arsenic content. The department tested 46 candies from 10 different companies for heavy metals, finding that 28 of these products had arsenic levels deemed unsafe with prolonged consumption.

“As both parents and consumers, we deserve the assurance that grocery store products are safe and free from harmful substances,” stated First Lady Casey DeSantis. “Nobody should worry that the food they give their children might be affecting their health over time. Through the Healthy Florida First initiative, we are independently testing products to ensure transparency and safety in our food supply.”

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who joined the DeSantises at a recent press conference to discuss these findings, expressed his alarm: “The arsenic levels in common candies were astonishingly high—two to four times higher than foods already known for arsenic, like rice. Compared to everyday foods, the levels were 20 to 40 times higher. It’s just unbelievable.”

“I was really shocked by the levels of arsenic in common candies, the levels of arsenic in common candies are much higher, two, three, four times higher than even foods that we know have high levels of arsenic in general, like rice,” said Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who joined the DeSantises at a recent press conference announcing the results of the testing. “And compared to foods, just typical foods that people eat, the levels of arsenic were 20, 30, 40, times higher. It’s just unbelievable.”

It’s not all bad news: Brands that carry high-arsenic candies also have products in the same range that don’t test high. For example, Ferrara Candy Company’s Nerds Taffy Banana vs Cherry flavors (more on that below). First Lady DeSantis also pointed out that none of the candy tested showed elevated levels of lead, mercury, cadmium, or “other problematic carcinogens.”

Here is how the arsenic levels in specific candies break down in terms of levels and safe consumption, according to the report.

Ferrara Candy Company

Ferrara Candy Company has eight products on the list that showed high levels of arsenic, as per the report. It’s interesting to note that while Laffy Taffy Banana tested high for arsenic, the Laffy Taffy Cherry flavor did not. Another “safer” option is the Organic Black Forest Gummy Bears which also had no identifiable risk, compared to the regular Black Forest Gummy Bears. Here’s what the government testing showed:

• Black Forest Gummy Bears contains 370 parts of arsenic per billion, which makes 16 pieces of candy safe to consume per year for a child and 40 for an adult, assuming each piece is 3 grams.
• Laffy Taffy Banana contains 480 parts per billion, which means the safe limit is 4 pieces of candy a year for kids and 9 ⅗ for adults, if 1 piece is 8.8 grams.
• Nerds Grape contains 380 parts per billion, making 96 pieces of candy safe to consume per year for a child and 240 single pieces for an adult, if 1 piece is 0.5 grams.
• Nerds Strawberry contains 450 parts per billion, which means the safe consumption amount is 96 pieces per year for a child and 240 for an adult,  if 1 piece is 0.5 grams.
• Nerds Gummy Cluster contains 500 parts of arsenic per billion, making the safe consumption amount 24 pieces a year for a kid and 60 pieces for an adult, if 1 piece is 2 grams.
• SweeTarts Original contains 400 parts per billion, so a child can safely consume 48 pieces a year and an adult can have 120 pieces (if 1 piece is 1.25 grams).
• SweeTarts Rope contains 390 parts per billion, which means a child can have 3 ropes a year and an adult can have 7 ½ ropes (if 1 rope is 12.5 grams).
• Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers contains 430 parts per billion, making 12 pieces a year safe for kids and 30 pieces safe for adults, if 1 piece is 3.8 grams.

The issue, as the government points out, is these “safe” serving sizes are not practical or realistic. “96 Nerds, as we well know, is not typically what comes in a box. When you think about it, a typical smaller box can contain about 2,000. If you get one of those big boxes that you get, like a movie theater, that’s about 8,000 Nerds,” the First Lady said. “Asking families to stop at 96 pieces over a year is not realistic when it’s viewed against how the product is packaged, marketed, and then consumed.”

The Hershey Company

The Hersey Company has six products on the list that tested high for arsenic, but also several that did not: Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, Whoppers, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups showed no risk. Here are the ones that did:

• Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Creme contains 280 parts of arsenic per billion, making 1 ⅕ bars a year safe for kids and 3 bars safe for adults, if 1 bar is 43 grams.
• Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Sour Apple contains 540 parts per billion, making 6 pieces a year safe for kids and 15 pieces safe for adults, if 1 piece of candy is 8 grams.
• Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Strawberry contains 320 parts per billion, so kids can safely eat just 6 pieces a year and adults can have 15 pieces, if 1 piece is 8 grams.
• Twizzlers Strawberry contains 500 parts per billion, making the safe consumption for kids 4 pieces a year and 9 ⅗ pieces for adults, if 1 piece is 11 grams.
• Twizzlers Cherry contains 350 parts per billion of arsenic, which means a safe amount for kids is 8 pieces in a year, and 20 pieces for adults (if 1 piece is 5.8 grams).
• Twizzlers Watermelon contains 510 parts per billion, making 18 pieces a year safe for kids and 45 pieces for adults, if 1 piece is 3 grams.

Nestlé

Nestlé’s Kit Kat made the list (it’s the only Nestlé product good or bad in the report).

• Kit Kat contains 230 parts of arsenic per billion, making a safe amount for kids 2 ⅖ pieces a year and 6 pieces for adults, if each piece is 17 grams.

Bear in mind one regular Kit Kat is 42 grams, so according to the report that’s as much as a kid can safely have over a year.

Mars

Mars has three products that tested high for arsenic on the list, but it’s not all doom and gloom: M&M’s, Twix, and Milky Way are all fine as they are listed as “risk not identified”. Skittles are another matter, as just one 65.1 gram bag would be considered more than a safe amount for one child to have in a whole year.

• Mars 3 Musketeers contains 240 parts per billion, so a safe amount for kids is 2 ⅖ pieces a year/20 pieces for adults, if 1 piece is 5.7 grams.
• Mars Snickers contains 350 parts per billion, making 2 ⅖ pieces safe for kids and 6 pieces safe for adults in one year, if 1 piece is 9 grams.
• Mars Original Skittles contains 370 parts per billion, making 48 pieces a year safe for kids and 120 pieces for adults, if 1 piece is 1.04 grams.

Mondelêz International

Mondelêz International has four products that tested for arsenic as per the report:

• Sour Patch Kids has 470 parts per billion, making it safe for kids to have 36 pieces a year and adults 90, if 1 piece is 1.25 grams.
• Sour Patch Kids Tropical contains 420 parts of arsenic per billion, which means kids can safely consume just 18 pieces a year and adults 45, if 1 piece is 2.5 grams.
• Sour Patch Kids Watermelon contains 420 parts per billion making it safe for kids to have 12 pieces of candy a year, and 30 for adults if 1 piece is 3.6 grams.
• Swedish Fish contains 220 parts per billion, which means the safe level of consumption is 8 pieces for kids/20 for adults, if 1 piece is 6 grams.

The test results show the regular Sour Patch Kids have the highest arsenic while the Swedish Fish candy has the lowest, but it would be tricky to limit consumers to literally 8 pieces over a year (one 88 gram box contains approximately 14.6 pieces).

Tootsie Roll Industries

Tootsie Roll Industries has four products on the list that show high arsenic levels, with the Fruit Chew Lime listed as the worst offender. Many of these safe consumption limits wouldn’t even be a whole bag (for example, a Midgees bag is 425 grams).

• Dots contains 430 parts per billion, making it safe for children to have 12 pieces a year and adults to have 30, if 1 piece is 3.7 grams.
• Tootsie Fruit Chew Lime contains 570 parts per billion, making it safe for children to have 8 pieces a year and adults to have 20, if 1 piece is 6.6 grams.
• Regular Tootsie Roll contains 380 parts per billion, so safe consumption for kids is 8 pieces a year and 20 for adults, if 1 piece is 6.6 grams.
• Tootsie Roll Vanilla contains 370 parts per billion, making it safe to have 8 pieces a year for a child and 20 pieces for an adult, if 1 piece is 7 grams.

Smart Sweets

Smart Sweets has two items listed on the report as having high levels of arsenic. The report also notes that these candies are marketed as a healthier, better-for-you option.

• Smart Sweets Caramel contains 240 parts per billion, making it safe for children to have 1 bag  a year (if 1 bag is 45 grams) and adults to have 2 ⅖ bags.
• Smart Sweets Sweet Fish contains 180 parts per billion, making it safe for children to have 1 bag a year if 1 bag is 50 grams and 2 ⅖ bags a year for adults.

UNREAL—No Risk

UNREAL did not test high for arsenic. The following products are all listed as “Risk Not Identified”:

• UNREAL Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bar
• UNREAL Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar
• UNREAL Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

“Our story began when two kids who loved candy got tired of being told they couldn’t eat it. All their favorites were filled with artificial ingredients, excess sugar, and stuff they couldn’t pronounce. Why did something that tasted so good have to be so bad for them? OR DID IT? That question inspired our mission: to unjunk the world,” the brand says.

Yum Earth—No Risk

Yum Earth did not test high for arsenic. The following products are all listed as “Risk Not Identified”:6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

• Yum Earth Organic Chewys
• Yum Earth Choco Yums Chocolate Candies
• Yum Earth Organic Giggles
• Yum Earth Gummy Bears
• Yum Earth Organic Lollipops

Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Flavored Snacks Berry Patch also showed no risk.

Intregrity of Food Supply

The administration says the goal of this testing, and the subsequent report, is to be proactive instead of reactive, allowing consumers—and especially parents—to make decisions based on science.

“Our goal really has been, as the governor has articulated, to support the federal [Make America Healthy Again] movement by working as force multipliers, to be able to drive accountability through testing,” First Lady Casey DeSantis said. “The [Food and Drug Administration] primarily works as a reactionary force, stepping in after problems are identified, and while that role is very important, Florida is really working to change the system by supporting the FDA to not only continue to get in front of these problems by testing, but also by leading a coalition of states to trust but verify the integrity of our food supply.”